Renewable Resources Renewable energy is a natural choice. Harnessing the earth's own inexhaustible energy - whether from the sun, wind, fuel cells, or other renewable sources - can reduce dependence on fossil fuels and provide clean, affordable electricity.

WHY WE SHOULD CARE ABOUT RENEWABLE ENERGY Choosing renewable power provides many benefits: Making use of secure, indigenous, and sustainable natural resources. Helping to keep our air clean. Potential to reduce the production of carbon dioxide -- a leading contributor to global climate change. Helping to create jobs for American workers. Establishing the United States as a world leader and exporter of renewable power technologies. Nationwide, reducing dependence on imported oil. By purchasing electricity generated from renewable resources or installing a renewable energy system on your home, you can demonstrate your commitment to a healthy environment and a healthy economy.

BIOMASS ELECTRICITY Biomass consists of organic residues from plants and animals that are obtained primarily from harvesting and processing of agricultural and forestry crops. These are used as fuels in direct combustion power plants. The biomass is burned, producing heat that is used to create steam to turn turbines to produce electricity. The steam can often be used for another process -- such as drying vegetables or using in a factory. This is called cogeneration. Examples: forest slash, urban wood waste, lumber waste, agricultural wastes, etc. The components of biomass include cellulose, hemicelluloses, lignin, lipids, proteins, simple sugars, starches, water, hydrocarbons, ash and other compounds.

FUEL CELLS FOR ELECTRICITY Unlike conventional technologies, fuel is not "burned" but is combined in a chemical process. A fuel cell consists of two electrodes sandwiched around an electrolyte. Oxygen passes over one electrode and hydrogen over the other, generating electricity, water, and heat. Hydrogen fuel is fed into the "anode" of the fuel cell. Oxygen (or air) enters the fuel cell through the cathode. Encouraged by a catalyst, the hydrogen atom splits into a proton and an electron, which take different paths to the cathode. The proton passes through the electrolyte. The electrons create a separate current that can be utilized before they return to the cathode, to be reunited with the hydrogen and oxygen in a molecule of water. "fuel reformer" can obtain hydrogen from any hydrocarbon fuel - from natural gas, methanol, and even gasoline. Other possible fuels include propane, hydrogen, anaerobic digester gas from wastewater treatment facilities, and landfill gas. Fuel cells are being designed for use in stationary electric power plants to provide reliable, clean, high quality electricity for distributed power generation. Eventually, smaller fuel cells will be sold for use in homes, most of which will connect to natural gas supplies.

FUEL CELLS

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY Geothermal energy is produced by the heat of the earth and is often associated with volcanic and seismically active regions. California has 25 known geothermal resource areas, 14 of which have underground water temperatures of 300 degrees Fahrenheit (149 degrees Celsius) or greater. Hot water and, in some instances, steam can be used to make electricity in large power plants. Hot water can also be put to direct use, such as heating greenhouses or other buildings. The constant temperature below ground can also be tapped to warm and cool your home through a ground-source heat pump.

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

HYDROELECTRIC POWER Hydroelectric power, a renewable resource, is generated when hydraulic turbines are turned by the force of moving water as it flows through a turbine. The water typically flows from a higher to a lower elevation. These turbines are connected to electrical generators, which produce the power. The efficiency of such systems can be close to 90 percent.

HYDROELECTRIC POWER

SOLAR PV SYSTEMS We call modern-day devices that convert sunlight into energy photovoltaic cells, or "PVs" for short. More commonly, they're known as solar cells. We can find them on calculators, hats, sidewalk lighting systems, and alongside freeways to power phones for stranded motorists.

SOLAR PV SYSTEMS

SOLAR THERMAL ELECTRICITY The sun's heat can be used in two ways with homes and businesses. The sun is used to heat water for domestic hot water systems, or the sun's light can be concentrated and water temperatures increased to make steam and electricity. Solar energy can also generate electricity. Over the past 20 years, solar electricity generation technologies have grown by leaps and bounds, registering annual growth rates between 25 and 41 percent. Costs have also fallen by 80 percent.

WIND POWER Wind speeds typically must be sustained and at least 10 miles per hour to turn larger turbines fast enough to generate electricity. The turbines usually produce about 50 to 300 kilowatts of electricity each. A kilowatt is 1,000 watts (kilo means 1,000). You can light ten 100 watt light bulbs with 1,000 watts. So, a 300 kilowatt (300,000 watts) wind turbine could light up 3,000 light bulbs that use 100 watts.

WIND POWER